CHICAGO -- Winnipeg Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers left Saturday night's game at Chicago after he backed into an official in the second period.

Ehlers had to be helped off the ice after he got hurt with 5:34 left. He went straight to the locker room after he departed.

Winnipeg coach Scott Arniel said the team will know more about Ehlers after it gets home. The Jets host the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday night.

Arniel said it was "just a little bit of the injury that he had before." The 29-year-old Ehlers missed nine games with a lower-body injury before returning on Dec. 18 at Anaheim.

"They just ran into each other. It was a tough play, especially to lose him on that situation," Arniel said. "It wasn't a blocked shot. ... It was a freak accident."

An injury for Ehlers would be a big blow for Winnipeg (55-21-4), which clinched the franchise's first Central Division title and the No. 1 seed for the Western Conference playoffs with a wild 5-4 victory over the Blackhawks. Ehlers has 24 goals and 39 assists in 69 games.

"Just a weird play and a fluky play and hopefully he's OK," Jets defenseman Josh Morrisey said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

ST. LOUIS -- Owen Michaels scored two third-period goals, including an empty-netter, to seal Western Michigan's first Frozen Four championship in a 6-2 victory over Boston University on Saturday night.

Iiro Hakkarainen and Wyatt Schingoethe each had a goal and assist while Ty Henricks and Cole Crusberg-Roseen also scored to cap the Broncos' first Frozen Four appearance in the program's 52-year history. Hampton Slukynsky stopped 24 shots, and top-seeded Western Michigan (34-7-1) closed its winningest season with 10 straight victories.

The Broncos reached the final when Michaels, who played two seasons in the North American Hockey League and does not yet have an NHL contract, scored his second goal 26 seconds into double overtime in a 3-2 victory over defending champion Denver in Thursday night's semifinals.

"So proud of this team. They believed in themselves from start to finish," Broncos coach Pat Ferschweiler said. "They cared about each other all year. I couldn't be more proud of them."

In defeating the five-time champion Terriers, according to ESPN Research, the Broncos became the fourth program to win a national title in its Frozen Four debut excluding the inaugural NCAA tournament in 1948. The other schools are Denver (1958), Cornell (1967), and Lake Superior State (1988).

"It's hard to get here. And clearly, we know it's very hard to win this last game," said Terriers coach Jay Pandolfo, a two-time Stanley Cup winner and a member of BU's 1995 championship team. "I'm really proud of them, and this is tough to swallow."

Western Michigan also made it 3-for-3 for Michigan-based teams winning the tournament when it takes place in St. Louis, after Michigan State won in 2007 and Michigan Tech in 1975.

"Kalamazoo is only 150,000 people, and it felt like half the town was here," Ferschweiler said, referring to the school's campus location. "You could feel the energy in the streets during the day."

The win didn't come easily. The Terriers appeared to cut the lead to 4-3 with 8:04 remaining when Matt Copponi jammed in a rebound through Slukynsky's legs. Though replays clearly showed the puck going over the line, the goal was disallowed because the whistle had blown.

Later in the third, Michaels put an exclamation point on the win with his empty-netter.

"That goal was not about me; it was about this team, and this group," Michaels said, "and doing something we've never done before."

Cole Eiserman and Shane Lachance, a prospect for the New Jersey Devils, scored for Boston University (24-14-2). Mikhail Yegorov, also a prospect for New Jersey, stopped 22 shots in a matchup of freshman goaltenders.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

LAS VEGAS -- Nearly a dozen fans stood outside Saturday morning, waiting for Jonathan Marchessault and his teammates to appear so they could get autographs.

It was a normal sight outside the Golden Knights practice facility, but this was at T-Mobile Arena as the Nashville Predators had their morning skate in preparation for that night's game against Vegas.

That game was Marchessault's first in that arena in an opposing uniform. One of the most beloved players in Vegas' short history -- part of the inaugural team that called itself the Golden Misfits -- received a rousing ovation when the 1 1/2-minute video tribute was played at the first media timeout. Marchessault then skated alone on the ice as fans chanted, "Marchy! Marchy!"

Thanks for all the memories, Marchy. Welcome back to The Fortress!! #VegasBorn pic.twitter.com/h7UGdVH9B6

x-Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) April 13, 2025

Marchessault, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the NHL playoffs MVP in leading the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup championship two years ago, appeared to tear up during the tribute.

"I'm an emotional guy normally, so we'll see how it goes," Marchessault said before the game. "Obviously, it's going to be an exciting time for me. It's such a great building, great organization and definitely happy for their success still. I'm not even surprised a little bit. I think the structure and the organization is so great from top to bottom."

Marchessault scored a goal early in the third period, but the Golden Knights won 5-3 to clinch the Pacific Division title.

"It was unbelievable. Great fans. They were always there for me and my family," Marchessault said after the loss, summing up the night in front of a large media contingent at his locker room stall. "It was just unbelievable to see Vegas and it'll be great memories for me forever."

He played seven seasons with the Golden Knights and is the career leader in goals with 192 and points with 417. Marchessault, 34, had hoped to sign a new contract to stay in Vegas, but he and the club failed to reach an agreement and Nashville signed him to a five-year, $27.5 million deal.

But it has been a difficult season. Marchessault's mother died in September at 70 from a heart attack, just a day before his number was retired by the junior hockey Quebec Ramparts.

"It was a challenging year," Marchessault said. "A lot of things. Moving a family of four, I expected it to be hard, but not that hard."

Two of his sons were born in Las Vegas and another began playing youth hockey here.

Marchessault was such a key part of the Golden Knights' success, and it wasn't only the production by a player who delivered in many clutch moments. He was the club's emotional leader as well. Even at 5-foot-9 he commanded a big presence in the locker room.

"I miss him," Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said. "I miss his competitiveness. I miss his personality in the locker room."

This hasn't been the kind of season Marchessault hoped for, especially considering the free-agency splash the Predators made in signing not only him but Steven Stamkos, who helped lead Tampa Bay to two Cups.

The Golden Knights, meanwhile, will clinch the Pacific Division if they beat the Predators in regulation.

"The position his team is in is in a much different position than our team right now, and I think that takes away a little bit of it," Golden Knights forward Reilly Smith said before the game. "But he's a competitor. He'll want to put on a good show and so will we. I expect nothing but his best effort tonight. He scored a lot of goals in this building, so we got to make sure he doesn't get one more."

This may be Marchessault's first time back in Vegas as an opponent, but not the first time facing the Golden Knights. The teams played twice in Nashville, splitting the games. Marchessault had an assist in the first meeting.

"It was just nice to see them," Marchessault said. "You spend a lot of years with those guys and so much memories, so much battling through adversity together. Out of nowhere, you see them twice a year. It's unfortunate, but it's a tough business."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

An unexpected visitor briefly interrupted Saturday's MLS encounter between the Vancouver Whitecaps and Austin FC, when a mouse had to be rescued from the field at BC Place.

The game was just seven minutes old when the visiting Austin went to take a corner kick, only for the referee to draw attention to the halfway line where a mouse had scurried onto the field of play.

Proving he could save more than goals, Austin goalkeeper Brad Stuver made full use of his quick reactions to catch the rodent and carry it to the side of the field so play could resume after a delay of just over a minute.

The Vancouver fans gave Stuver a well-earned round of applause for his efforts.

The pause did little to interrupt the Whitecaps' flying start to the season. The surprise package of the early weeks of 2025, Vancouver came into the game top of the Western Conference.

And it made short work of Austin, winning 5-1 thanks to four goals from United States men's national team striker Brian White.

Vancouver has also been excelling in continental competition, reaching the semifinals of the Concacaf Champions Cup where it will face Inter Miami and Lionel Messi.

André Onana has been left out of Manchester United's Premier League clash with Newcastle United on Sunday, a source has told ESPN, following heavy criticism of performance against Lyon.

Onana did not travel to Tyneside with Ruben Amorim's squad on Saturday and is set to be replaced at St James' Park by No.2 Altay Bayindir.

A source close to Onana has told ESPN that the decision has been taken to allow Onana to "rest and disconnect."

The 29-year-old, according to the source, has been assured that he has not been permanently replaced as Amorim's first-choice goalkeeper and that he could return to the team for the Europa League quarterfinal second leg against Lyon at Old Trafford on Thursday. The tie hangs in the balance after a 2-2 draw with France.

Onana has endured a difficult week, first becoming embroiled in a war of words with former Nemanja Matic and then making two mistakes in the game against Lyon to cost United victory.

The Cameroon international was branded as "one of the worst goalkeeper's in United's history" by Matic ahead of kick-off during a blistering attack in response to Onana's claim that United are "way better" than Lyon.

Onana later doubled down, posting on social media that "some can't say" they have won trophies at Old Trafford -- a reference to Matic's five barren years at the club between 2017 and 2022.

Onana has also been dealing with issues off the field after his wife was the victim of a street robbery in Cheshire in March. A man has been charged in connection with the incident.

Following his two mistakes against Lyon -- one coming deep into stoppage time -- Amorim backed Onana and said that he was still "really confident" in the former Ajax man.

But the United boss has taken the decision to take Onana out of the firing line and hand Bayindir his Premier League debut more than 18 months after his arrival from Fenerbahce in 2023.

Liverpool have built up a 10-point lead at the top of the Premier League table with seven games to go and seem destined to be crowned English champions for a 20th time.

But how soon could the title be sealed? When is the most likely date? And what does the fixture list look like?

This file will be updated throughout the season until the title is confirmed -- for Liverpool, Arsenal or perhaps even Nottingham Forest.

How does the table look?

Most teams have played 31 or 32 matches, which means there are six or seven matches left, and 18-21 points to play for.

Second-place Arsenal drew their 12th game of the season against Brentford on Saturday, with Liverpool at home to West Ham United on Sunday.

Nottingham Forest are in third place but are six points further back after losing to Everton.

How many points do Liverpool need?

Liverpool require nine points (82 in total) from their remaining seven games for an unassailable points total, as Arsenal can finish on a maximum of 81 if they win all their matches. Of course, it's unlikely the Gunners will do that, so fewer points are probably needed.

When is the earliest Liverpool could win the league?

It could be wrapped up in three games' time in Gameweek 33 -- on Sunday, April 20. On that Sunday, Arsenal go to Ipswich Town in an earlier kickoff with Liverpool playing later.

It requires Liverpool to win against West Ham United and Arsenal to lose at Ipswich.

If those results happen, Liverpool could then win the title with a victory at Leicester City on April 20.

When are Liverpool most likely to win the title?

The best way to assess this is using points per game (PPG), essentially from across the season.

Liverpool's PPG is 2.35, while Arsenal's is 1.97.

If the PPG rate continues, Liverpool would be crowned champions when they play at home to Tottenham on April 27 in Gameweek 34.

Would Arsenal have to give Liverpool a guard of honor?

While it's not obligatory, the first team to play the champions after they are crowned does usually provide a guard of honor as they walk out.

If Liverpool win the title on Sunday, May 4, then Arsenal at home is the next fixture.

Could Liverpool seal the title against Arsenal?

Yes!

If Liverpool go into the game with a lead of four, five or six points, they would need to beat Arsenal to secure the title against them.

If Liverpool start the match with a lead of seven, eight or nine points, a draw or a win would seal the title.

What if Liverpool and Arsenal finish with identical records?

The normal order of tiebreakers is:

1) Points

2) Goal differential

3) Goals scored

In general, teams who still have identical records at this stage are deemed to occupy the same position in the table. Ergo, if the teams in 13th and 14th have the same points, goal differential and goals scored, then will both be ranked 13th.

But if the position determines the championship, European qualification or relegation then there's further tiebreakers.

4) Head-to-head record

The first game between Arsenal and Liverpool this season at the Emirates was a 2-2 draw. If the match at Anfield on the weekend of May 10 was also a draw, we would have to move onto a further tiebreaker.

5) Head-to-head away goals

As Liverpool scored twice at Arsenal, they hold a strong position. The only way we could move onto the final tiebreaker is if it was also 2-2 at Anfield.

6) A playoff!

The two teams would meet at a neutral venue to decide the championship. This almost happened in the 1995-95 season when the Premier League, the Football Association and Wembley had gone as far as printing tickets for a potential playoff between Manchester United and Newcastle United. Of course, it wasn't necessary as Man United won the title by four points.

Liverpool and Arsenal finishing with identical records might seem fanciful right now, as Liverpool have scored 15 more goals than the Gunners and they have a goal differential advantage of 12. However, if Arsenal were to bridge the points gap over the remaining matches, the goals scored and goal differential gap would naturally close.

OK, so when is the earliest Arsenal could win the title?

If Liverpool lost every match, and Arsenal won all their games, the Gunners could not be crowned champions until the final day.

How many players get a medal?

The champions get 40 commemorative medals for the manager, players and officials. Any player who has played five matches automatically qualifies for a medal; additional medals require consent of the Premier League Board, which will only be granted if the total number of players who have played five or more games exceeds 39.

MIAMI -- "Old Man Volk" still has it.

Alexander Volkanovski delivered a vintage performance to reclaim the featherweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Diego Lopes on Saturday night in the main event of UFC 314 at the Kaseya Center. The judges scored the bout 49-46, 49-46 and 48-47.

With the win, Volkanovski became the first fighter over age 35 to win a world title fight in a weight class under 170 pounds. And he did it with a performance that signaled a return to form for the fighter who dominated the 145-pound division from 2019 to 2023 and cemented himself as a Hall of Famer with a trio of wins over Max Holloway. However, a pair of knockout losses to Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria had people questioning if his best years were behind him.

Instead, Volkanovski, 36, proved he's still very much a force in the division, though he had his confidence tested when he had to pull himself off the canvas after being dropped late in the second round. Instead of folding, Volkanovski steadied himself and utilized movement and an accurate jab to turn back a surging challenger in Lopes.

"It's good to be back," Volkanovski said. "I promised my girls I would bring the belt back to them, but then I was thinking it doesn't matter about bringing the belt back. I think the message was a lot of people counted me out coming off two knockout losses. The 35-year-old curse, 36 years old, big break, and come back and beat a gun like Diego Lopes who came and brought it.

Adversity is a privilege. You hear people talk about that all the time. It truly is. This moment is incredible."

Saturday night's opportunity arose for Volkanovski to reclaim the featherweight title when Topuria decided to vacate and move up to lightweight. Although the fighter out of New South Wales, Australia, had lost consecutive fights by knockout, his body of work earned him the title opportunity.

Standing opposite him was a rising star in Lopes, a Brazilian fighting out of Mexico whose rapid ascent began after he dropped his UFC debut in a short notice fight against Movsar Evloev in 2023. Lopes, 30, went unbeaten over his next five fights to push himself into the title picture as a fan favorite.

But experience would beat youth on this night. Volkanovski executed a brilliant game plan behind movement, a sharp jab and pulling himself out of frantic exchanges before leaving himself too open for a counter.

Volkanovski won the early striking exchanges against Lopes, planting a left hand that buckled his opponent's knees in the first and landing counter right hands.

Just as it appeared the fight was getting away from Lopes in the second round, he put Volkanovski down with a right hand to the temple. But Volkanovski got back on the horse, though he was wary of Lopes' right hand, which had proved to be a dangerous weapon.

Volkanovski refused to cave under the increasing pressure of Lopes and circled away while firing the jab over the next 15 minutes. Lopes would occasionally bait him into exchanges, but Volkanovski was wise to the plan and pulled himself out of the fire before he ended up getting burned. Volkanovski did suffer some damage as Lopes managed to land heavy punches, including an uppercut in Round 3 that opened a cut around Volkanovski's right eye.

But Volkanovski weathered the storm and fought brilliantly after many counted him out. He doubled Lopes in significant strikes 134-67. Although he was only 1-for-11 in takedowns, those attempts prevented Lopes from opening his offense.

In the buildup to the fight, Volkanovski cited a renewed focus to reclaim the title he once held for four years. The dedication paid off, and a new reign begins with a featherweight division that has had new blood injected into it, including the likes of Jean Silva, Evloev, Lerone Murphy and the recently signed Aaron Pico.

For now, Volkanovski can savor his victory after silencing the naysayers who thought Father Time would get the last laugh.

"If you get adversity, you build yourself back, it's only going to make you stronger, even if it doesn't work out," Volkanovski said. "But a lot of times it does, if you really pursue it. Look what can happen. You can break records. This is the s--- people are going to write books about. This is a movie!"

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Rory McIlroy is 18 holes away from golfing immortality.

The 35-year-old from Northern Ireland will take a two-stroke lead into the final round of the 89th Masters at Augusta National Golf Club after producing one of his best rounds in a major championship with a 6-under 66 on Saturday that moved him to 12 under after 54 holes.

McIlroy, the world No. 2, needs to win an elusive green jacket to join Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only golfers to complete the career Grand Slam in the Masters era.

It will be McIlroy's 11th attempt at finishing the career Grand Slam, and this might be his best opportunity to do it.

"I think I still have to remind myself that there's a long way to go, just like I said yesterday, 18 holes," McIlroy said. "I, just as much as anyone else, know what can happen on the final day here."

LIV Golf League captain Bryson DeChambeau is perhaps the biggest obstacle in his way. DeChambeau made a 48-foot putt from the fringe of the 18th green to get within two strokes of McIlroy. He made birdies on three of the last four holes to post a 3-under 69.

McIlroy and DeChambeau will tee off in the final pairing at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday.

It will be a rematch of their final-round duel in the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina. McIlroy missed two short putts in the final three holes, allowing DeChambeau to make a memorable shot from a bunker and par putt on the 72nd hole to win his second major, both coming in the U.S. Open.

"It will be the grandest stage that we've had in a long time, and I'm excited for it," DeChambeau said. "We both want to win really, really badly. You know, shoot, there's a lot of great players behind us, too. Got to be mindful of that and focus. It's about who can control themselves and who can execute the golf shots the best."

Canada's Corey Conners was third at 8 under, and 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed and Sweden's Ludvig Åberg were tied for fourth at 6 under.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who struggled through an even-par 72 on Saturday, is among four golfers tied for sixth at 5 under.

After a birdie-eagle-birdie start erased his two-stroke deficit and gave him the outright lead Saturday, McIlroy led by as many as four strokes on the first nine. But his unsteady play around the turn -- he made bogeys on the par-5 eighth and par-4 10th -- cut his advantage to one.

McIlroy took control of the season's first major again with a birdie on the par-5 13th and a second eagle of the round on the par-5 15th. After blasting a 339-yard drive down the right side of the 15th fairway, McIlroy knocked his approach to 6 feet and sank the birdie putt to move to 12 under, four strokes in front of Conners and five ahead of Shane Lowry, Justin Rose and DeChambeau.

McIlroy might already have one arm in a sleeve of the green jacket if he hadn't carded double bogeys on Nos. 15 and 17 in the first round. He finished the opening round at even-par 72 and trailed first-round leader Rose by seven strokes.

McIlroy rebounded to go 12 under in his past 36 holes. He is only the sixth golfer in Masters history to post consecutive 66s in the same tournament.

If McIlroy finishes the job Sunday, his seven-stroke deficit will tie the largest through 18 holes by a Masters winner. Nick Faldo (1990) and Woods (2005) also came back from that many.

"There's obviously pressure, but he has pressure every single week," said Jason Day, who is among those tied for sixth after a third-round 71. "He seemed very focused, determined to obviously accomplish that. It doesn't look like he's focusing on it, that's the thing. I know it's in the back of his mind, but I think he's running off so much confidence, and he has so much belief in his game that it's almost like he knows it's going to happen. And when you're playing like that, it's very dangerous."

McIlroy also will try to end a more than 10-year drought without a major championship victory. It is his 39th start in one of the big four since he last captured the 2014 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky.

McIlroy got off to a blistering start that has been rarely seen at the iconic course. In just three holes, he wiped out a two-shot deficit to Rose, making a 10-footer for birdie on No. 1, chipping in from 54 feet off the green for eagle on No. 2 and then rolling in another 7-footer for birdie on No. 3 to take the outright lead at 10 under.

He became just the sixth player in Masters history to go 4 under over the first three holes, according to ESPN Research.

"Yeah, obviously it was a dream start to get off to the start that I did," he said.

McIlroy wasn't done. After DeChambeau carded a bogey on the third, McIlroy made an easy par on the par-3 fourth to take a two-shot lead over DeChambeau and Rose.

McIlroy ripped a 342-yard drive down the par-4 fifth and knocked his approach to 8 feet. With another birdie, he was 11 under and three shots in front of DeChambeau and four in front of Rose and Lowry.

McIlroy made a 9-footer to save par on the par-3 sixth hole, becoming the first golfer in Masters history to start a round with six consecutive 3s on his scorecard. (He was also the first to do it with five straight.)

After driving his tee shot deep into the trees, McIlroy saved par on the seventh. But then, just like that, he seemed to lose momentum. His drive on the par-5 eighth landed in a fairway bunker. He was forced to lay up and knocked his approach to the back of the green. He chipped to 8 feet and missed. A bogey dropped him to 10 under.

McIlroy missed a 5-footer for birdie on the ninth and made the turn at 4-under 32. He was two strokes in front of DeChambeau and three in front of Rose and Conners.

On the 495-yard 10th, McIlroy's second shot stopped 58 feet above the hole. He three-putted, missing an 8-footer for par. He fell to 9 under, only one ahead of DeChambeau and his playing partner, Conners, who made three straight birdies to move into a tie for second.

"I think when he plays his best golf, it's hard to catch him," Åberg said. "I don't think there's a lot of guys in this world that can catch him when he plays at his best."

The good news for McIlroy: Each of his four previous major championship victories -- in the 2011 U.S. Open, 2012 PGA Championship, 2014 Open Championship and 2014 PGA Championship -- came when he had the outright lead after 54 holes.

The only time he failed to convert while holding a 54-hole lead in a major occurred at the 2011 Masters. He had at least a share of the lead after each of the first three rounds and took a four-stroke cushion into the final 18 holes. The then-21-year-old McIlroy collapsed and posted an 8-over 80. He tied for 15th at 4 under, 10 strokes behind winner Charl Schwartzel of South Africa.

Fourteen years later, McIlroy has a chance to finally exorcise those demons.

"You know, I've got a lot of experience," he said. "I came in here talking about being the most complete version of myself as a golfer, and you know, I just have to keep reminding myself of that and remind myself that no matter what situation or scenario I find myself in tomorrow, I'll be able to handle it."

Alex Volkanovski defeated Diego Lopes by unanimous decision to win the featherweight championship at UFC 314 at the Kaseya Center in Miami on Saturday. After five rounds, Volkanovski won by scorecards of 48-47, 49-46 and 49-46.

In the co-main event, Paddy Pimblett dominated Michael Chandler in a third-round TKO and showed he's a problem for the lightweight division, especially because he's younger than all the top contenders.

Also on the card, Yair Rodriguez revived his career with an impressive performance to ruin Patricio Pitbull's UFC debut. When Rodriguez is at the top of his game, the already tough featherweight division is better than ever.

Brett Okamoto and Andreas Hale share their thoughts on these fights.

The kingdom Volkanovski reigns over looks different this time around

"Old Man Volk" is champion once again but the division is a lot different than the one he reigned over when he was champion from 2019 to 2023. Yes, it's only been two years but a look at the landscape at 145 pounds reveals that the division has seen an overhaul over the past 24 months. Max Holloway and Ilia Topuria have moved on to the lightweight division and there are new names that weren't knocking at the door looking for a title fight.

Volkanovski's initial featherweight title reign saw him spend more than half of his 145-pound title fights against Holloway. Chan Sung Jung has since retired while Brian Ortega has struggled with a 1-3 record in his last four fights. This run could be seen as far more challenging because the 36-year-old will be tested by a new breed of featherweights that include Movsar Evloev, Lerone Murphy and Jean Silva, who put together a blistering demolition of Bryce Mitchell on the main card. There are also recent signees Aaron Pico and Patricio Pitbull. And even though the latter fell short against Yair Rodriguez, it's not outside the realm of possibility that he works his way up the ladder.

Stylistic matchups and the youth of his opponents could present quite the mountain for Volkanovski to overcome. However, if he manages to make a couple of successful title defenses, Volkanovski has an opportunity to separate himself from fighters likeHolloway and José Aldo as the greatest featherweight in UFC history.

What we do know is that this is one of the deepest, most talent-rich featherweight divisions in recent memory. Volkanovski has his work cut out for him, but it will be a treat to watch based on his Saturday's performance. -- Hale

Pimblett is a huge problem at lightweight, especially because of his youth

If this sounds like a backhanded compliment, it's truly not. Pimblett's skills are legit and he'd be a handful for any lightweight in his prime. But the fact he's wading into the deep end of the lightweight waters at a time when those waters are filled with fighters in the twilights of their careers certainly doesn't hurt.

Pimblett, 30, is confident, talented and a very dangerous finisher. He's already fought Tony Ferguson (41), King Green (38) and Chandler (38). He's now targeting Charles Oliveira (35), Justin Gaethje (36) and Dustin Poirier (36). Again, I am not taking anything away from Pimblett -- but it's OK to point this out. He is coming into his prime at the best time possible for this division.

If Pimblett can keep this going, we could be looking at a UFC superstar. And let's be honest, the sport needs as many as it can get right now. The UFC is relatively star starved at the moment, if you compare it to other eras. That's cyclical and it'll come around, and Pimblett could be one of the key fighters to turn the tide.

Pimblett is the real deal, he knows he's the real deal and the gauntlet of absolute killers at the very top is (mostly) fighters who are starting to slow down. He has a tremendous opportunity ahead of him. -- Okamoto

A "good" Rodriguez is so good for this division

The featherweight division is in a solid place, but it is so much more interesting and better with a great Rodriguez. And not just a great Rodriguez, a fired up one.

When he is on, he's nothing short of dazzling. That 2018 knockout of "Korean Zombie" Chan Sung Jung in the final second was the greatest knockout in UFC history - until Max Holloway knocked out Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 last year. The spinning attacks, the flying attacks, the choke of Josh Emmett for the interim championship at UFC 284 in 2023 -- Rodriguez can do things that others simply cannot do. His best moments against Pitbull on Saturday came when he was under fire and in danger. Rodriguez can be a menace at times, and it'd be so welcome if he could be one always.

Don't get me wrong, his losses have come against elite talent, but I can't help but think I still haven't seen Rodriguez at top speed. I want to see him emotionally invested, if that's what it takes. I wouldn't mind seeing him fight Diego Lopes after they went at it during this week's press conference. Rodriguez has been great in flashes, but he's also been inactive at times, including when the UFC nearly cut him in 2018. I'm nitpicking a little, but I just want to see what Rodriguez looks like with a bit of swag. A bit of that arrogance people accused him of having before he lost in the UFC for the first time to Frankie Edgar back in 2017.

The 145-pound division would benefit greatly from that Rodriguez. -- Okamoto